Mental-health care for veterans is ramping up

Saturday

Jun 30, 2012 at 12:01 AMJun 30, 2012 at 10:34 AM

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki often reminds us that, as the tide of war recedes, we have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to anticipate the needs of returning veterans. As these newest veterans return home, we must ensure that they have access to quality mental-health care to successfully make the transition to civilian life.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki often reminds us that, as the tide of war recedes, we have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to anticipate the needs of returning veterans. As these newest veterans return home, we must ensure that they have access to quality mental-health care to successfully make the transition to civilian life.

Last year, VA provided specialty mental-health services to more than 1.3 million veterans — a 35 percent increase since 2007 in the number of veterans who received mental-health services at VA. That’s why we recently announced that VA will add 1,600 mental-health staff professionals and 300 support-staff members nationwide, including five here at the Columbus VA Ambulatory Care Center.

These efforts to hire more mental-health professionals build on our record of service to veterans. President Barack Obama, Shinseki and the leaders of Columbus VA have devoted more people, programs and resources to veteran mental-health services. VA has increased the mental-health-care budget by 39 percent since 2009. What’s more, we’ve increased the number of mental-health staff members by 41 percent since 2007.

That means today, we have a team of professionals that’s 20,590 strong — all dedicated to providing much-needed direct mental-health treatment to veterans.

While we have made great strides to expand mental-health-care access, we have much more work to do. The men and women who have had multiple deployments over a decade of combat have carried a tremendous burden for our country.

That’s why Shinseki has challenged the department to improve upon our progress and identify barriers that prevent veterans from receiving timely treatment. As we meet with veterans here in central Ohio, we learn firsthand what we need to do to improve access to care.

Shinseki has sought out the hardest-to-reach, most underserved places — from the remote areas of Alaska to inner city Philadelphia — to hear directly from veterans and employees. And we’re taking action to reach out to those who need mental-health care instead of waiting for them to come to us.

Our mission is to increase access to our care and services. We’ve greatly increased the number of Veterans Readjustment Counseling Centers (Vet Centers) throughout the country. We’ve also developed an extensive suicide-prevention program that saves lives every day.

For example, our team at the Veteran Crisis Line has fielded more than 600,000 calls from veterans in need and helped rescue more than 21,000 veterans who were in immediate crisis. That’s 21,000 veterans who have been saved.

The mental health of America’s veterans not only touches those of us at VA and the Department of Defense, but also families, friends, co-workers and people in our communities. We ask that readers urge veterans in their communities to reach out and connect with VA services.

To locate the nearest VA facility or Vet Center for enrollment and to get scheduled for care, veterans can visit VA’s website at www.va.gov. Immediate help is available at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net or by calling the Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (push 1) or texting 838255.

DR. LILIAN T. THOME

Director

Columbus VA Ambulatory

Care Center

Columbus

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